So why would you want to coach in the SEC?

[AppSt94]

So Jim McIlwain is 22-12, won the SEC East twice in his first two years, and now they want to fire him. For a 3-4 start, where a good portion of his team is facing felony charges. Why would anyone sign up for that?

[ASU3432Mi]

$$$$$!

[Goapps15]

It's called he falsely claimed death threats. He didn't get fired for his on field product.

[yikas1]

I married a Gator alum and have to be careful about what I say. But I think it is pathetic and classless way they got rid of their coach but in the SEC it seems to be par for the course. I grew up loving college football and am really saddened that it has become only about money and listening to loud and rich alumni who are not happy unless they win a national championship each year. I know for many App fans the reality is that we will most likely never be in a position to be competitive year to year with the big boys, but quite honestly there is some purity and love for the college game that we have and I hope we hold on to that seems to be lost in the power five conferences. I was one who wanted the national playoff but unless something changes, it has robbed the game of something special. It will always be about Ohio State, Notre Dame and Alabama.

[AppSt94]

The falsely claimed death threats are a cover. I’m lot saying that it did or didn’t happen, but that type of behavior alone would give them cause to terminate without the buyout. Yet they are negotiating a buyout. The offense is putrid and the Bull Gators are fed up with it. They want him out and they get what they want because the administration has no backbone.

[T-Dog]

Every other team in the SEC would give one of their nuts to make the SEC Title game. McElwain was 2/2.

There have been 24 (and counting) head coaching changes in the SEC since Lord Saban took over Bama. A lot of good coaches have been fired because of Saban and the insane pressure from the boosters. You can't just replace good coaches with good coaches and continue to stay upright, especially as the other major conferences have gotten better, especially the ACC.

[WVAPPeer]

Don't think it is Saban's fault - many have worked for him in the past

[EastHallApp]

It's called not settling for mediocrity. Florida is one of the five or so best jobs in the country. 22-12 is not a good record there; it's Ron Zook territory. Schools like Florida don't give a crap about division titles; they want to play in the Sugar Bowl or the CFP. And the main reason they've been in the SEC title game is that their division has been horrendous. Now that Georgia is good, Florida's getting fully exposed, but they were not very good last year either.

Normally I might say they fired him too soon, and maybe they did. But McElwain was an odd hire to begin with, so I think more likely they're just recognizing that and moving on.

Now if your expectation as a coach is that fans will be happy with participation trophies, then no, you probably shouldn't go to the SEC (or at least not to places like Florida, Tennessee etc.) But presumably most coaches who've been successful in other jobs are pretty confident in their abilities, rightly or not.

[EastHallApp]

Also I'm not sure "a good portion of his team is facing felony charges" is a good line in his defense.

[AppSt94]

If he didn't recruit any of them then I don't know that I could put that on him. I dont know when they started because I don't care for the Gators to begin with. For much the same reasons that most of you hate Carolina.

[t4pizza]

This may seem like an odd firing from a far, but down here in Florida it was clear that he needed to go. You just can't lie about death threats in the media, especially when you are not winning. Still can't wrap my head around why he would have made that statement when it wasn't true. I don't think he would have been fired but for that story regardless of the team play this year. Everyone knew he had more than 10% of the scholarship players on suspension and then several very key injuries, so the poor play alone could be mitigated. Lying about death threats to the media can not be. College coaches sell credibility to recruits and once that credibility is tarnished, its all over, especially in the brutal recruiting trails of the SEC. Now, add in all the other issues known down here and the firing is perfectly acceptable. The team chemistry is in shambles, and once a coach loses the locker room he needs to go. In a recent interview with Will Grier tells that he was run out of Florida despite wanting to stay, completely opposite of what the coach put out there. Lack of offensive play calling, unimaginative play calling and an apparent unwillingness to change offensive coordinators. Recruiting classes that although are still good, are not what his predecessors brought in. Plus he never was a big persona like the Gators want/need to lead their program. I have a ton of Florida ties and see more of their games than App games and I don't know a single fan that is unhappy about this firing. I actually applaud the school for cutting the cord when it became apparent that a future was untenable.

[EastHallApp]

BTW this isn't just an SEC thing - plenty of FSU fans calling for Jimbo Fisher's job now too. And unlike McElwain, he's actually accomplished a lot as a HC. Not that I think it will happen, but for some reason fans of programs that are used to winning big don't like it when their teams aren't good anymore.

[Goapps15]

Yet Butch Jones still has his job. Being from Knoxville, the town is losing its mind.

[WVAPPeer]

BTW this isn't just an SEC thing - plenty of FSU fans calling for Jimbo Fisher's job now too. And unlike McElwain, he's actually accomplished a lot as a HC. Not that I think it will happen, but for some reason fans of programs that are used to winning big don't like it when their teams aren't good anymore.

We had APP "fans" wanting Coach Satterfield fired as well ---

[NoLongerLurking]

BTW this isn't just an SEC thing - plenty of FSU fans calling for Jimbo Fisher's job now too. And unlike McElwain, he's actually accomplished a lot as a HC. Not that I think it will happen, but for some reason fans of programs that are used to winning big don't like it when their teams aren't good anymore.

We had APP "fans" wanting Coach Satterfield fired as well ---

I've heard it within the past 48 hours.

[Goapps15]

Not to get off topic but at 5-13 after the Liberty loss things weren't looking pretty. Georgia Southern a few weeks back decided that same record was enough.

Don't bash me just making a point. Satt has done very well since then.

[EastHallApp]

Not to get off topic but at 5-13 after the Liberty loss things weren't looking pretty. Georgia Southern a few weeks back decided that same record was enough.

Don't bash me just making a point. Satt has done very well since then.

Georgia Southern's coach wasn't 5-13 in year one of an FBS transition, playing a bunch of freshmen and FCS players. He took over a winning program with proven veteran talent and ran it into the ground immediately. Plus there were reportedly a lot of problems behind the scenes with that program.

[T-Dog]

McElwain was different in that he gave his employer an out with the lying about death threats situation. He gave Florida the "with cause" to cut ties with minimal payout.

Butch, for all his failures on the field, hasn't shown a lack of integrity as head coach to be fired with cause. But he should have been gone three weeks ago in effort to salvage the season.

The Florida AD should be playing a radio outside the bedroom window of Dan Mullen in Starkville 24/7. Mullen should be their 1A candidate and pay him what he wants, although they might try to get Taggert or Frost.

Tennessee should try to get Scott Frost ASAP. Heck, Charlie Strong would be perfectly fine.

[Goapps15]

Agree with T Dog. I could easily see Frost going back to Nebraska and Mullen at UF. If that happens then Tennessee is in a world of hurt for their search. Those two names a week ago were in their top 4.

[WVAPPeer]

OK - I didn't pay a great deal of attention to the McElwain death threats - I don't care for the Gators at all - my question --- Was the entire "death threats" claim all a lie?